Attention weekenders in London and road trippers in Scotland - from April 2, 2025, you'll need a visa to visit the Tate Modern, stroll through Hyde Park or say hello to Buckingham Palace. The UK introduces an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), a fee-paying digital document required by all European travelers.
Until now (since the Brexit) a simple passport has sufficed to cross the English Channel. But from April 2, 2025, entry to the UK will require an ETA, a dematerialized visa costing £10 (around €12). Applications will be available from this Wednesday, March 5, 2025.
In practical terms, this authorization will allow multiple stays of up to six months, and will be valid for two years or until the passport expires. The scheme brings the UK closer to the American ESTA model.
All European citizens will have to comply with this new formality. Only British and Irish citizens, and students under 18 on school trips, will be exempt.
As the ETA is entirely digital, you can apply online: fill in the form, pay, validate... and off you go to Notting Hill, Camden Market or the Highlands!
To avoid unpleasant surprises, plan your ETA before booking your trip. This new visa marks a turning point for European travelers and formalizes the end of free movement to the UK post-Brexit.
If you're dreaming of fish and chips on the banks of the Thames or a shopping spree on Oxford Street, don't forget to add this administrative step to your checklist. On your passports, get set, apply!
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